Furious parents demand answers

A rescue team attends to a victim after the bus crash yesterday morning. Picture: SUPPLIED

GET the buses fixed or remove them from the roads.

This is the sentiment of distressed Kolinio Waqa, the father of Meli Taivei, a Year 7 student of Kalabu Primary School who suffered serious injuries to his hands and legs following the bus accident yesterday.

The distraught Mr Waqa, who spoke to this newspaper at the Makoi Health Centre, said he was fortunate his son was still alive.

"The conditions of our buses are pathetic. What is the LTA doing about this?" he said.

Mr Waqa, who lives in Nakasi, said he received a call around 9am yesterday notifying him that his son was involved in a bus accident and had been taken to hospital.

"My son's bag was ripped. He had blood all over his uniform and he suffered big cuts," he said.

"His right arm is damaged and he has cuts on his legs too."

Mr Waqa said the condition of some buses in the country was truly appalling.

"The garages where these buses are repaired are even worse. I don't know how these buses are maintained," Mr Waqa said.

He said just by looking at the buses, some were not fit to run on the roads, let alone serve the public.

Another eyewitness who preferred anonymity, said the LTA was not doing its job in monitoring the buses.

The eyewitness said it was shameful to have so many buses being involved in accidents in such a small country.

"We had bus fires and now these accidents. These buses are taking the lives of innocent citizens," the eyewitness said.